These are great activities for getting students out of their seats and talking with many of their classmates. They vary somewhat in set-up, but the same topics and questions can be used for all. The same pictures can be used for all levels by changing the questions. It's always good to push for explanations and elaboration as we move our students up the proficiency scale.
Ideas:
Weather pictures: What is the weather like? What season is it?
Food pictures: Do you like …? Do you eat …? Did you eat … last night? Is … good for your health? When do you eat …?
Body parts: What hurts?
Emotions: How are you? Why are you …? (This can be used to practice subjunctive.)
Sports: Do you play …? Do you like …? When do you play …? Who plays …?
Clothing: Do you wear …? What color is the …? Where would you wear …?
Places: Where are you going? When did you go to …? Why did you go to …?
Professions: Who is this?, What does (s)he do?, Will you be a …? Why? How do you become a …?
Mingling (Tea Party)
Each student is given a different picture to go with the current topic. They go up to someone and ask a question about their picture. Then the other person asks a question about her picture. After they have both answered the questions, they trade pictures and go off to talk to someone else. It is important that all the pictures be different even if they represent the same thing or idea. Part of the fun of the activity is seeing what you get next, and it helps them to see that there is not always an exact one to one correlation between picture and word. This is an activity where the teacher should participate. It gives the students a chance to use the formal ways of address, and it is a way for the teacher to cycle new pictures into the game.
Mingling/Line-ups/Wagon Wheels/Speed Dating
These are great activities for getting students out of their seats and talking with many of their classmates. They vary somewhat in set-up, but the same topics and questions can be used for all. The same pictures can be used for all levels by changing the questions. It's always good to push for explanations and elaboration as we move our students up the proficiency scale.Ideas:
Mingling (Tea Party)
Each student is given a different picture to go with the current topic. They go up to someone and ask a question about their picture. Then the other person asks a question about her picture. After they have both answered the questions, they trade pictures and go off to talk to someone else. It is important that all the pictures be different even if they represent the same thing or idea. Part of the fun of the activity is seeing what you get next, and it helps them to see that there is not always an exact one to one correlation between picture and word. This is an activity where the teacher should participate. It gives the students a chance to use the formal ways of address, and it is a way for the teacher to cycle new pictures into the game.
Wagon Wheel: Directions